Rachael’s interest in American government and all things political began at an early age when she started canvassing and stuffing envelopes for various campaigns. She majored in U.S. government at Georgetown University and received her master’s from Harvard University. Rachael teaches U.S. government and politics, the politics of race, gender and sexuality, and U.S. women’s history. She has been an AP reader since 2005, currently is an AP table leader, and is a College Board consultant.

Rachael played both varsity field hockey and lacrosse at Georgetown University. She was also the founder of the Georgetown women’s lacrosse club. She began coaching varsity field hockey and lacrosse at Blair Academy in 1994 where she led both teams to the New Jersey finals for three of her six years as head coach. Her field hockey team won the New Jersey championship in 1998. At Taft, she was the varsity field hockey coach from 2003–2017. In the 2005 season, her team went undefeated in the regular season and won the Founders and the Western New England leagues, and finished the season ranked number one in New England. Rachael currently instructs yoga and is the girls’ varsity lacrosse assistant coach.

She is married to Greg Hawes ’85 and lives on campus with their two sons, Peyton ’21, and Lachlan ’23.